November 01, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
Kristy Curry and Chris Mack, two of college basketball’s most accomplished coaches, make their South Florida debuts in Monday’s Yuengling Center doubleheader.
Joey Johnston/Athletics Senior Writer
TAMPA, Fla., November 1, 2026 – College basketball season tips off Monday at the Yuengling Center, where it's a whole new era for the University of South Florida Bulls.
Two new eras, in fact.
With head coach Kristy Curry taking over the women's program and head coach Chris Mack guiding the men's program, the Bulls have acquired two of the nation's most respected, most accomplished hoops leaders.
"I'm so excited to be here," Curry said. "I truly think the sky's the limit at USF."
"This program now has championship expectations and we have everything in place to be successful," Mack said. "It's just a matter of maintaining it."
Fittingly, both new coaches will have their South Florida debuts during a Monday doubleheader. The women will take on Furman University at 5 p.m., followed by the men facing Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes following completion of the women's game).
South Florida's women's program earned 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and 485 victories in the 25-season tenure of Jose Fernandez, now head coach of the WNBA's Dallas Wings. Interim head coach Michele Woods-Baxter oversaw another 20-win campaign last season. The Bulls have now turned to Curry, who produced 14 NCAA Tournament teams during her 27 seasons coaching in the SEC (Alabama), Big 12 (Texas Tech) and Big Ten (Purdue).
Meanwhile, South Florida's men's team is amid one of the most successful runs in program history with two American Conference regular-season titles in the past three years, plus a league tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament bid last season. Mack, the fifth head coach in five seasons, has embraced the legacy of Amir Abdur-Rahim, who died tragically on Oct. 24, 2024, and Bryan Hodgson, who became head coach at Providence College after last year's 25-9 finish with the Bulls.
Mack has 15 seasons of experience as head coach at Xavier, Louisville and the College of Charleston. His run includes nine NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams have earned the nation's No. 1 ranking (Louisville) and an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (Xavier).
"These are both very special head coaches," South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said. "They are relationship-builders and they know what it takes to reach the highest levels of basketball. They believe in what we're building here. They know that we're committed to championship success here at South Florida. They know it's a place where great coaches want to come and not leave."
Grit, Love And Gratitude
When Bulls guard Hannah Kohn left Clemson University to enter the transfer portal, she was immediately attracted to USF, which had just hired Curry away from Alabama. Kohn knew of Curry's winning reputation. She also remembered playing against the Crimson Tide.
"I appreciate Coach Curry's positive energy," Kohn said. "College basketball isn't easy, but she makes it easy to be around and you're eager to play for her. When you play against another team, you pick up on their vibes and energy. What I noticed from Alabama, they always lifted each other up and had a good time. The X's and O's stuff was done well, of course, but you could tell the players responded to their coaches. As a player, you want that environment."
"Coach Curry and her staff, they communicate very well," Bulls holdover point guard Stefanie Ingram said. "They're always telling us, 'We're here for you.' It's very organized and they know how to put us in position to be our best selves. I'm very excited about where this team can go. We're going to win some games."
But for Curry, success isn't quantified solely by South Florida's victory total.
She's committed to another process.
Grit, love and gratitude (or #GLG in the social-media world).
"Those concepts have been a separator for us throughout our career," Curry said. "It's reflective of how our teams play, how they perform in the classroom, the court and the community.
"Grit? We will be the hardest workers, whether it's the grind of the season or responding to adversity.
Love? We will have love for our teammates by playing hard, playing together, respecting each other.
Gratitude? We will have a proactive mindset of being thankful for the moment, along with the program, community and university we represent.
"These three experiences really formed who we are. You trust the process and you rely on what you've learned along the way."
Curry said the Bulls will look to play fast and be comfortable "making one-second decisions." She'll look to deploy the strengths of her roster without assigning hard-and-fast, inflexible roles. The Bulls want versatility and might resemble a "position-less" team.
Three criteria are non-negotiable, though.
Grit, love and gratitude.
Inheriting A Winning Tradition
Mack refers to South Florida as "a place I wholeheartedly believe in." At Xavier, Louisville and the College of Charleston, Mack said those programs had tradition and expectations. The same factors now exist with the Bulls. Mack's challenge is continuing that and making sure the Bulls aren't "a one-hit wonder."
"When you look at the facilities, the resources, the student and fan support, the commitment of our administration, the Tampa Bay area … man, there are a lot of great things here," Mack said. "Our ambitions are to continue the momentum of the winning that has been done here, but also to take it to an even higher level."
Mack's teams have four trips to the Sweet 16 and one to the Elite Eight. It's one thing to reach the NCAA Tournament. It's quite another to break into the second week and seriously contend for a spot in the Final Four.
"I want to get to a Final Four," Mack said.
He said he believes it's an achievable goal at South Florida.
"Honestly, Coach Mack wins and I've seen it with my own eyes," said Bulls freshman Jayden Johnson of Louisville, Ky., who remembers Mack's work with the Cardinals. "He's relentless. His resume speaks for itself. Our program has one of the best coaches in the nation."
Who is Chris Mack? What kind of coach will the fans see on Monday night?
"I'm not sure how people perceive me," Mack said. "Some people think I'm really calm. Some people think I'm a lunatic. I'm probably all of it. It depends on the moment you catch me.
"I just try to be very direct and honest and open with our players. I want to bring the best out of them. I utilize my staff a lot. Those guys have a great responsibility, whether it's keeping players' nerves calm, giving me feedback and suggestions, just helping things run smoothly. I love our staff and I love the players we've brought here to South Florida. I can promise that the fans will see guys who are committed to each other and committed to playing hard all the time."
Mack said his ideal roster is filled with "everyday guys" — unselfish workers who are non-entitled, team-first, versatile performers. He said the Bulls want to be a connected team on defense, almost exclusively playing man-to-man, looking for a quick transition to offense. Mack said the Bulls have one of the nation's fastest point guards, Toledo transfer Sonny Wilson, and he wants to exploit that advantage.
"Coach Mack is a competitor," said Bulls guard Mike James, who originally signed with Mack at Louisville, then shifted to NC State and Vanderbilt before this season's reunion with his original coach. "That has been obvious with his past teams and it's going to bleed through to this team. We're going to get after it."
Working Together
Curry and Mack were hired a day apart last March, then introduced on back-to-back days during Final Four week. They walked in to standing ovations, cheerleaders, a pep band, green-and-gold balloons and a full house of athletic staff, donors and alumni.
The revelry was great.
But the next few months were a constant grind of acquiring players, implementing their systems, building a culture, practicing and preparing for the season.
It's time to begin the new era of South Florida men's and women's basketball. Curry and Mack will debut together when the curtain is raised on Monday's doubleheader.
"We're looking forward to supporting Coach Mack and the men's program," Curry said. "We're in the same building (Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center) and I know we're after the same goals. As they say, this is 'Tampa Bay's Home For Hoops,' and we want to make that more than a slogan. We want to give the people winning, entertaining basketball. I think we're going to do that and have lots of fun along the way."
"Kristy is the best," Mack said. "She's really easy to work with. When you're in a building where you share office space and our courts are about 50 feet from each other … I've been in battles before where you're trying to figure out who's going to use the main court (for practice). They have a very collaborative staff and I'd like to think we're the same. Getting Kristy Curry was a coup for USF and she's taking over a program with great history. We're their biggest supporters and I know they will be behind our program as well. So it's a great situation."
Kristy Curry and Chris Mack are two of the biggest names in college basketball coaching. South Florida has them both. They are putting down roots, laying a foundation, building toward accomplishments that haven't been seen before.
Let the new eras begin.
Tickets
Fans can purchase women's basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
About South Florida Athletics
South Florida Athletics sponsors 21 varsity teams, with 20 competing at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including the recent additions of women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program, founded in 1965, competed in its 60th season in 2025-26.
Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the Tampa General Athletics District on the east end of USF's Tampa campus. The Bulls have won 160 conference titles across 18 sports, with 85 men's championships and 75 women's championships. Men's tennis and men's soccer lead with 20 titles each, while women's programs have been headlined by women's tennis (14) and volleyball (13). Since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, South Florida Athletics has secured 42 conference team titles.
Academically, USF student-athletes have achieved a program record of 23 consecutive semesters with a combined GPA of 3.0 or better as of spring 2026. Since 2015, more than 900 Bulls have earned their degrees.
Follow South Florida Athletics
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
– #GoBulls –
Two new eras, in fact.
With head coach Kristy Curry taking over the women's program and head coach Chris Mack guiding the men's program, the Bulls have acquired two of the nation's most respected, most accomplished hoops leaders.
"I'm so excited to be here," Curry said. "I truly think the sky's the limit at USF."
"This program now has championship expectations and we have everything in place to be successful," Mack said. "It's just a matter of maintaining it."
Fittingly, both new coaches will have their South Florida debuts during a Monday doubleheader. The women will take on Furman University at 5 p.m., followed by the men facing Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes following completion of the women's game).
South Florida's women's program earned 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and 485 victories in the 25-season tenure of Jose Fernandez, now head coach of the WNBA's Dallas Wings. Interim head coach Michele Woods-Baxter oversaw another 20-win campaign last season. The Bulls have now turned to Curry, who produced 14 NCAA Tournament teams during her 27 seasons coaching in the SEC (Alabama), Big 12 (Texas Tech) and Big Ten (Purdue).
Meanwhile, South Florida's men's team is amid one of the most successful runs in program history with two American Conference regular-season titles in the past three years, plus a league tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament bid last season. Mack, the fifth head coach in five seasons, has embraced the legacy of Amir Abdur-Rahim, who died tragically on Oct. 24, 2024, and Bryan Hodgson, who became head coach at Providence College after last year's 25-9 finish with the Bulls.
Mack has 15 seasons of experience as head coach at Xavier, Louisville and the College of Charleston. His run includes nine NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams have earned the nation's No. 1 ranking (Louisville) and an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (Xavier).
"These are both very special head coaches," South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said. "They are relationship-builders and they know what it takes to reach the highest levels of basketball. They believe in what we're building here. They know that we're committed to championship success here at South Florida. They know it's a place where great coaches want to come and not leave."
Grit, Love And Gratitude
When Bulls guard Hannah Kohn left Clemson University to enter the transfer portal, she was immediately attracted to USF, which had just hired Curry away from Alabama. Kohn knew of Curry's winning reputation. She also remembered playing against the Crimson Tide.
"I appreciate Coach Curry's positive energy," Kohn said. "College basketball isn't easy, but she makes it easy to be around and you're eager to play for her. When you play against another team, you pick up on their vibes and energy. What I noticed from Alabama, they always lifted each other up and had a good time. The X's and O's stuff was done well, of course, but you could tell the players responded to their coaches. As a player, you want that environment."
"Coach Curry and her staff, they communicate very well," Bulls holdover point guard Stefanie Ingram said. "They're always telling us, 'We're here for you.' It's very organized and they know how to put us in position to be our best selves. I'm very excited about where this team can go. We're going to win some games."
But for Curry, success isn't quantified solely by South Florida's victory total.
She's committed to another process.
Grit, love and gratitude (or #GLG in the social-media world).
"Those concepts have been a separator for us throughout our career," Curry said. "It's reflective of how our teams play, how they perform in the classroom, the court and the community.
"Grit? We will be the hardest workers, whether it's the grind of the season or responding to adversity.
Love? We will have love for our teammates by playing hard, playing together, respecting each other.
Gratitude? We will have a proactive mindset of being thankful for the moment, along with the program, community and university we represent.
"These three experiences really formed who we are. You trust the process and you rely on what you've learned along the way."
Curry said the Bulls will look to play fast and be comfortable "making one-second decisions." She'll look to deploy the strengths of her roster without assigning hard-and-fast, inflexible roles. The Bulls want versatility and might resemble a "position-less" team.
Three criteria are non-negotiable, though.
Grit, love and gratitude.
Inheriting A Winning Tradition
Mack refers to South Florida as "a place I wholeheartedly believe in." At Xavier, Louisville and the College of Charleston, Mack said those programs had tradition and expectations. The same factors now exist with the Bulls. Mack's challenge is continuing that and making sure the Bulls aren't "a one-hit wonder."
"When you look at the facilities, the resources, the student and fan support, the commitment of our administration, the Tampa Bay area … man, there are a lot of great things here," Mack said. "Our ambitions are to continue the momentum of the winning that has been done here, but also to take it to an even higher level."
Mack's teams have four trips to the Sweet 16 and one to the Elite Eight. It's one thing to reach the NCAA Tournament. It's quite another to break into the second week and seriously contend for a spot in the Final Four.
"I want to get to a Final Four," Mack said.
He said he believes it's an achievable goal at South Florida.
"Honestly, Coach Mack wins and I've seen it with my own eyes," said Bulls freshman Jayden Johnson of Louisville, Ky., who remembers Mack's work with the Cardinals. "He's relentless. His resume speaks for itself. Our program has one of the best coaches in the nation."
Who is Chris Mack? What kind of coach will the fans see on Monday night?
"I'm not sure how people perceive me," Mack said. "Some people think I'm really calm. Some people think I'm a lunatic. I'm probably all of it. It depends on the moment you catch me.
"I just try to be very direct and honest and open with our players. I want to bring the best out of them. I utilize my staff a lot. Those guys have a great responsibility, whether it's keeping players' nerves calm, giving me feedback and suggestions, just helping things run smoothly. I love our staff and I love the players we've brought here to South Florida. I can promise that the fans will see guys who are committed to each other and committed to playing hard all the time."
Mack said his ideal roster is filled with "everyday guys" — unselfish workers who are non-entitled, team-first, versatile performers. He said the Bulls want to be a connected team on defense, almost exclusively playing man-to-man, looking for a quick transition to offense. Mack said the Bulls have one of the nation's fastest point guards, Toledo transfer Sonny Wilson, and he wants to exploit that advantage.
"Coach Mack is a competitor," said Bulls guard Mike James, who originally signed with Mack at Louisville, then shifted to NC State and Vanderbilt before this season's reunion with his original coach. "That has been obvious with his past teams and it's going to bleed through to this team. We're going to get after it."
Working Together
Curry and Mack were hired a day apart last March, then introduced on back-to-back days during Final Four week. They walked in to standing ovations, cheerleaders, a pep band, green-and-gold balloons and a full house of athletic staff, donors and alumni.
The revelry was great.
But the next few months were a constant grind of acquiring players, implementing their systems, building a culture, practicing and preparing for the season.
It's time to begin the new era of South Florida men's and women's basketball. Curry and Mack will debut together when the curtain is raised on Monday's doubleheader.
"We're looking forward to supporting Coach Mack and the men's program," Curry said. "We're in the same building (Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center) and I know we're after the same goals. As they say, this is 'Tampa Bay's Home For Hoops,' and we want to make that more than a slogan. We want to give the people winning, entertaining basketball. I think we're going to do that and have lots of fun along the way."
"Kristy is the best," Mack said. "She's really easy to work with. When you're in a building where you share office space and our courts are about 50 feet from each other … I've been in battles before where you're trying to figure out who's going to use the main court (for practice). They have a very collaborative staff and I'd like to think we're the same. Getting Kristy Curry was a coup for USF and she's taking over a program with great history. We're their biggest supporters and I know they will be behind our program as well. So it's a great situation."
Kristy Curry and Chris Mack are two of the biggest names in college basketball coaching. South Florida has them both. They are putting down roots, laying a foundation, building toward accomplishments that haven't been seen before.
Let the new eras begin.
Tickets
Fans can purchase women's basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
About South Florida Athletics
South Florida Athletics sponsors 21 varsity teams, with 20 competing at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference, including the recent additions of women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball. The Bulls' athletic program, founded in 1965, competed in its 60th season in 2025-26.
Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the Tampa General Athletics District on the east end of USF's Tampa campus. The Bulls have won 160 conference titles across 18 sports, with 85 men's championships and 75 women's championships. Men's tennis and men's soccer lead with 20 titles each, while women's programs have been headlined by women's tennis (14) and volleyball (13). Since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013, South Florida Athletics has secured 42 conference team titles.
Academically, USF student-athletes have achieved a program record of 23 consecutive semesters with a combined GPA of 3.0 or better as of spring 2026. Since 2015, more than 900 Bulls have earned their degrees.
Follow South Florida Athletics
For the latest updates from South Florida Athletics, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
– #GoBulls –
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
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